The Number Two Headband
by B. Woods
Summary: It was nothing but a game, a game created by the gods for mere mortals.The Number Two and the Number One Headband. The rules were clear and precise; who ever acheived the Number One headband, was granted any wish. Or so the legend goes...
1. Nothing But A Game

**CHAPTER ONE: NOTHING BUT A GAME**

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It was nothing but a game, a game created by the gods for mere mortals. The Number One and the Number Two Headbands. The rules were clear and precise; anyone could challenge the wearer of the Number Two Headband, but only the wearer of the Number Two Headband could challenge the wearer of the Number One. And who ever achieved the Number One headband, was granted any wish their mind could think up. The gods would then take the two headbands away, but every five hundred years, it starts all over again. _Or so the legend goes..._

Small feet slapped the ground as the little child ran through the forest, the war cries behind fueling her thumping heart to make her go Number Two Headband grasped tightly in her small fists. Fear was carved deep into her face as she scrambled over tree roots and held in the cries and tears as the spiky vines tore and her skin and clothing. _Light!!_ The girl's eyes grew as she willed her body to go faster and faster.

A wave of relief rushed through her as she barreled out of the thick dark forest. She didn't dare glance behind her, she knew they were coming, challengers for the Number Two. And normally she would've just handed it over and ran, but she couldn't. Not after seeing what it did to her mommy's village, not after seeing the same people that she waved to on the streets try and kill each other, not after seeing...and all for what!! A stupid headband!! This is what had confused the girl, it was just a dumb piece of clothing, yet men, women, and children were mercilessly killed for it. The small girl shook her head; these thoughts would only slow her down.

"Get back here you lil bitch!!!" Her fear escalated to new heights, as her heart thumped and pumped louder in her ear. '_A compound.'_ Her eyes lit up as a **large **compound came into view. She could hear the threats and curses being thrown after her, but her mind was solely focused on the compound. She slid to a stop in front the large gates and started pounding on the doors. "HELP!!!! SOMEONE!!! PLEASE HELP!!!" She cried banging on the doors, her small fists starting to bleed as she banged harder.

"Well, well, well," She froze, the cold voice moving thru her veins, freezing her stone still. "What do we have here?" "Listen hear you little brat, you hand over the headband and maybe, just maybe I won't kill you." The girl frigidly turned her head, she was completely surrounded. She gulped and swallowed her fear...well most of it. "N-No. You can't have this headband." She said pressing herself against the gates. "Why you little bitch!!" Her eyes widened as the man launched at her.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!" Pain erupted in her mid-section and spreaded towards the rest of her body. She grunted in pain as another fist pounded her. She blinked slowly as a barrage of fists started to attack her fragile body. She let out a whimper as she clutched the headband tighter, her vision blurring. "Mommy." The word died in her throat as she blacked out, the pain to severe to withstand any longer. The last thing she saw was a pale face among the crowd, its un-natural yellow glowing eyes sending shivers down her spine.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _

Misty tropical blue eyes fluttered open, before quickly closing them. The light stabbing her eyes. She warily opened her eyes again, blinking until her eyes adjusted. She tried lifting her head but found the task to hard and simply laid back down. From what she could tell, she was in a hospital bed. How, was the big question. '_What happened?'_ She wondered as she stared up at the white ceiling. Her mind flashing the events leading up to the brutal beating.

"The headband!" The girl quickly sat up, before grunting and laying back down. "I suggest you don't move." She gasped and looked over at the other person in the room. "Hokage?" The little girl spoke. The said man nodded. "Your father is on his way." The Hokage said moving closer to her bedside. "And your headband is on your hand." The Hokage said gently lifting her small fist. The Number Two Headband wrapped tightly around her fist, a few drops of blood reddening them. The girl calmed slightly and settled down.

"How'd I get here?" "Well the Uchihas brought you in. Your in their medical ward right now." "Oh." The girl nodded slowly. "I must ask, exactly why were those men after you?" Sarutobi asked taking the seat next to her bed. "I-I..." She couldn't tell him the truth, she couldn't let Kohona get contaminated, not like her mother's village. "I stole some money from them." The girl said looking down. "I was hungry and..." "It's fine. Don't worry about it now." The Hokage said patting her head. He could sense she was lying but wouldn't press the issue. "It's all over now Ino."

Ino nodded as she turned and looked out the window. _'I promise, Kohona will never fall victim to the Game of the Headband.'_ Ino's hand unknowingly tightened around the Number Two Headband. '_I swear it!!'_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO: FAMILY BUSINESS**

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"Ino?" "Hmmm." Ino said cracking open an eye. "This is boring, can we do something cool please!!" Kohonamaru said pouting. "Like what?" Ino asked. "Ninja!!" Kohonamaru said, his eyes liting up. "That game you play with Naruto?" Ino said sitting up. "Yeah!!" Kohonamaru said nodding. "Fine." Ino sighed getting up. "Alright!!" Kohonamaru said pumping his fists into the air, a very Naruto like move. Ino rolled her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips. "Ready, set-" "GO!!" Kohonamaru shouted running off. Ino sighed, she wouldn't even have to use a quater of her speed to catch him.

"UGH!!" Before Kohonamaru could get even a few feet from her, Ino had already caught him by the scruff of his collar."Game over." "INO!!!" Kohonamaru shouted crossing his arms. Ino smiled at his childish behavior and gently dropped him back on his feet. "I gotta better idea, how about we do some training. I'll even let you choose, ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijustu?" Ino said. "REALLY?? Aww right training!!! Believe it!!!" Kohonamaru said grinning a very Naruto like grin. Ino rolled her eyes, Kohonamaru was spending way to much time with the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja. "Alright, alright, which jutsu Kohonamaru?" Ino asked. "Taijutsu!!!" Kohonamaru said bopping his head. "Okay, but don't expect me to go soft on you." Ino said turning and walking away. "No way! Bring it all!!" Kohonamaru said falling into a defensive stance. "That's what I like to hear." Ino said facing him and taking a defensive postion. "LET'S GO!!!" Kohonamaru yelled charging her.

"Ino Yamanaka." Ino dropped her stance and turned at her name. Her eyes opened a fraction before she dodged a sword. She backflipped away from the person and held her arm out, stopping Kohonamru. "Who are you?" Ino said narrowing her eyes at the red cloaked figure. "Juugo Kyofu!" The man stated proudly. "Whadda want ya jackass!! Only a coward would attack someone like that!!!" Kohonarmaru shouted. "Why you little bastard! I'll rip your tongue out for talking to me like that!!" Juugo steamed. "What do you want!!" Ino said getting up and backing away, pushing Kohonamaru with her. "The Number Two Headband." Juugo replied with a smirk. "I don't have it." Ino hissed. "I haven't had it for years." "Well, then I guess your of no use to me then." Juugo smiled. "Ino's not afraid!!! She'll take you right here, right now!!!" Kohonarmaru shouted. "Idiot!!" Ino growled as she turned on her heel and grabbed Kohonamaru before running away from Juugo, she couldn't fight him here, not with Kohonarmaru.

"What are you doing!!!" Kohonamaru shouted as Ino jumped from tree to tree, Juugo not to far behind. Ino didn't answer, too focused on keeping ahead of Juugo. "INO!! WATCH OUT!!" Kohonamaru said, his eyes widening.

"See, the gang's all here!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he, Sakura and Sasuke neared the restaurant. Sasuke, who was brought back by none other then Ino Yamanaka using her Mind Transfer Jutsu when Sasuke was focused on his battle with Naruto. She used the Mind Seal to lock away his mind, giving her enough time to drag her and Naruto's bodies back to Kohona. It had been a month since and things had already feel right back into place, as if Sasuke had never left. His people still loved him.

"Wow Naruto, I can't believe you got the vampire king to come out during day." Kiba joked as Team Seven neared their group. "Yo, grab some chairs from over there and sit down." Tenten said pointing to some vaccant chairs. "Where's Ino?" Sakura asked as Naruto grabbed the chairs. "She's babysitting Kohonarmaru today, but she said she'll still stop by and just bring him along." Tenten answered. "Whatever, just hurry up and eat before that Pig gets here." Sakura said taking her chair from Naruto and sitting down.

Ino's coughed, the dust, smoke and debris filling her lungs. "What the hell was that?" Kohonamaru heaved. "Come....on!" Ino said getting up and dragging Kohonamaru to his feet. "You can't run little girl!!" Ino twisted her head to see Juugo through the dust. Ino growled as she grabbed Kohonamaru and sprinted off. "Why are you running!!" Kohonamaru demanded as she left on top a building's roof. "Shut up!!" Ino said leaping from roof to roof. If she could just make it to where she was suppose to meet the others, Kohonamaru would be more then secure and then she could fight this guy. "No!! Kohona ninjas never back down!!" Kohonamaru shouted. "GET BACK HERE!!" Juugo shouted running after her.

Ino jumped from one roof to the next, she could now feel their distict chakra signatures. They were just a little further up. "INO!! HE'S DOING THAT JUTSU AGAIN!!!!" Kohonamaru said as Juugo's hands started glowing a bright red. Ino spared a glance behind her before picking up her pace. "It's gonna take a second to gather his chaka." Ino said to herself although somewhat to Kohonamaru to. "DIE BITCH!!!"

"Is not!" "Is too!" "Is not!" "Is too!" "Would you to give it a rest!!" Kiba shouted. "He started it!!" Naruto said pointing a finger at Sasuke. "Did not!!" "Did too!" "Did not!!" The rest of the table gave a collective groan as the two 'brothers' started up again. "Did-" BOOOOOM!!!! "Whoa! What was that?" Tenten said standing up. "We should check it out. Make sure no one was hurt." Neji said standing up as well. "Guys wait!!" Shikamaru said holding his hands out. He closed his eyes and focused, he could sense a flicker of chakra. "Ino!!"

"Damnit!!" Ino cursed, she had dodged that one by the skin of her teeth. But she quickly got up and continued, they were just one up. "Ino he's still coming!!" Kohonamaru said as Juugo continued in his serach and destroy mission. "Don't worry, you'll be okay." Ino said as her eyes landed on an organge jumpsuit. "NARUTO!!! NARUTO!!! CATCH!!!!" Ino shouted hefting Kohonamaru over her head and tossing him towards them. She had no time to see if Naruto did indeed catch Kohonamaru because as soon as he left her hands she reached for a kunai and turned on a dime. Now she could fight.

"NARUTO!!! NARUTO!!! CATCH!!!!" Naruto's eyes widened as Kohonamaru came flying towards him. "Got ya!!" Naruto said running forward and catching the boy. "Awesome, I flew!!" Kohonamaru said grinning. "Kohonamaru what's going on?" Sakura asked. "I don't know, some dude just came out of the bushes and tried to kill Ino." Kohonamaru ssaid turning around. "See!!" Kohonamaru said pointing towards the streets.

"Have you decided to stop running?" Juugo said slowly walking towards her. "Look, I told you, I don't have it anymore." Ino said slowly backing away. "And I yold you that I don't care." Juugo said advancing. "Is that your final choice?" Ino asked as she continued backing up. "It is." Juugo said grasping a kunai. Ino smirked before rushing forward. The clang of metal on metal rang through the air! Ino's kunai, pressed against Juugo's kunai. Ino quickly grasped his other arm and flipped him over. "Ugh!!" Juugo threw up his forearms just in time to block her front kick. Juugo grabbed her foot and threw her off him. Ino growled as she got up and charged forward, throwing punches mixed with some kicks. Juugo grunted as he either dodged or blocked them. Ino backflipped off his crossed forearms and skidded to a stop. She narrowed her eyes as she unleashed a barrage of kunai. "Is that all?" Juugo said bloacking them all. "That's all." Before Juugo could turn around a second Ino appeared behind him with a kunai.

"You have two choices, walk away or die." Ino growled in his ear as she pressed her kunai to his throat. "You think you can scare me?" Juugo laughed. "Choose!" "I'd rather die-" Ino never heard the rest as she wasted no time in slicing his throat open. Besides she couldn't let him go knowing about the Number Two, she couldn't risk it.

"Ino? Are you okay?" Sakura said rushing forward as Juugo's headless body fell to the ground. "Yeah yeah, I'm fine." Ino said tossing Juugo's head up and down. "Why was that dude tryna kill you?" Sakura asked as the others jogged to where they were. "Mhmm." Ino shrugged. "It doesn't matter now. He's dead." Ino said dropping his head. "Naruto watch Kohonamaru, I'ma go take a shower." And with that Ino was gone. "Cool!!" Kohonarmaru said grinning.

Ino had just finished blow drying her hair when she heard a knock at her window. "Come in." She yelled as she looked around for her favorite purple scrunchie. "Yamanaka?" Ino glanced in the mirror to see that it ws an ANBU standing in her bedroom. "Yeah?" Ino said giving up and turning to face her 'guest'. "Tsunade-sama wants to see you. Immediatly." ANBU said. "But _Burn Notice_ is about to start!!" Ino pouted. "Ino?" ANBU said cocking his head. "Fine." Ino said sighing. "Tsunade better be dying." Ino said climbing out the window. "Wait! Aren't you going to change?" ANBU asked as his eyes roamed over the silky cream colored men's dress shirt. He did have to admit that she did look damn fine in it though. "Nope. Lock up behind yourself." Ino said flicking out of sight. ANBU sighed, Yamanaka's.

"Hey you wanted to see me?" Ino said entering Tsunade's office. "Aw crap. Did Sasuke run away again?" Ino said seeing all of the Rookies and Gai's Team present and waiting for her to show. "Gosh damn that kid needs help. Can we just kill him? Blame it on Itachi or somthing. No one will ever know." Ino said already devising the evil deed in her head. Ino paused as she felt a killer intent directed at her. "Oh Sasuke...what's up?" Ino said turning in the direction it was coming from and smiling at the dark haired boy. "What?!! You can't blame me, everything Tsunade calls us in here it because you've done something retarded." Ino shrugged. "That is true." Naruto said siding with Ino. "That's not true, what about that time she called us to help the rice country fend off those idiots?" Sakura said. "Which Orochimaru payed them to do." Kiba interjected. "Oh yeah." Sakura said frowning.

"Then it's decided, Sasuke is always the reason why were called together. So, what stupid thing has Sasuke done now?" Ino asked. "Sasuke isn't why I called you here. You are."

"Me?" Ino asked pointing to herself. "What I do?" "Yes, what did _Ino_ do, that _you_ had to call _all_ of _us_ to _your office_ Tsunade." Sasuke asked, besides himself with cockiness. "Ino, you know that Lightening Country and Fire Country haven't been allies for some years now right?" Tsunade asked fixing her with a steely gaze. "Yeah." Ino said nodding. "So I find it quite interesting to learn that your not only a Kohona citizen but also a Lightening citizen. A top shinobi in their ranks at that." Tsunade said. "Well if a certain Hokage did their homework you'd know that my mother was from the Lightening country, and even though I was born here I'm a CBD, Citizen By Descent." Ino shrugged. "Actually, I can't find anything on your mother, just a name. Keikiyo Hitsuguya." "Yes that would be my bitch of a mother." Ino said nodding.

"Such language." Ino turned her head and her eyes narrowed to slits. "Hello Ino, how are you?" A tall blond woman said emerging from the shadows. She looked like an exact replica of Ino except an inch or so taller, and looked slightly more _matured_. "Why is _she_ here?" Ino said taking a calming breath and turning to face Tsunade. "Keikiya wanted to see you. And because you are a Lightening citizen, I couldn't deny her." Tsunade said glaring at the 'other' Ino. "Well I don't want to see her!" Ino growled. "But you will. I'm sorry but I can't do anything, my hands are tied." Tsunade said giving her an apologetic look.

"My, my Ino. I'd thought you be happy to see me, we are family after all." Ino bit her lip from lashing out, she knew what the bitch was trying to do. Mind games was something no Yamanaka failed in. "What do want to speak to me about Kokage?" Ino asked slipping on an emotionless mask. "The same thing Juugo wanted to talk to you about. I know you have it." The Kokage said. "I don't have the headband." Ino said crossing her arms. "And if I did, you could bet your ass I'd never give it to you." "Are you sure? I can be very convincing." Keikiya said smirking. "Go to hell Keikiya." Ino hissed. "And say hi to my mother while your down there." Ino said. "You should have respect for the dead Ino." Keikiya said, a slight edge to her voice. "Go fuck yourself."

"I want that headband Ino." Keikiya said giving Ino a piercing glare. "And I always get what I want." "Keikiya, I think it's time you leave." Tsunade said standing up. "Yes I agree. Ino be a dear and tell your cousin Deidera that mommys' still looking for him." Keikiya said before vanishing. "Grrrrrr!!" All the rage Ino had kept pent up came out as she smashed Tsunade's desk into pieces. "BITCH!!!"

"That was my 57th desk." Tsunade frowned as she stared at the large mess. "Why the hell did you let that whore in here!!" Ino said rounding on Tsunade. "Like I said, you are legally a Lightening citizen. If I denied her it would've only been fuel for a war." Tsunade said calmly. She could she the emotional damage that small talk had done to Ino. "Ino calm down. You know Keikiya is just playing mind games." Shikamaru said stepping forward. "Yeah, don't let her get to you. It's all in the past." Choji said patting her back. Ino nodded, her rage _slowly_ disappating. "Your right. Rage releases horomones that can temporarily lower the I.Q. and your senses. I need to stay calm." Ino said closing her eyes a breathing.

"Your related to Deidera? The Akatsuki's Deidera?" Tenten asked crossing her arms. Ino slowly opened her eyes and stared at the brunette. She narrowed her eyes before disappearing. She needed to check on somethings.

**CHAPTER TWO: FAMILY BUSINESS**

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